Office Procedures

NovaSure®

NovaSure® is a minimally invasive alternative used to treat heavy menstrual bleeding, a condition known as menorrhagia. Menorrhagia is a common condition that affects 20% of women each year causing pain, fatigue and other symptoms. Women with menorrhagia have periods that last over 7 days, soak through a tampon or pad every hour and pass blood clots during their period.

NovaSure is an FDA-approved treatment and is a modified endometrial ablation treatment, with no incisions, anesthesia or downtime. During the NovaSure procedure, the cervix is dilated and a soft, thin wand is inserted through the vagina into the uterus. A triangular mesh array is then extended through the wand to contour to the shape of the uterus, and a precisely measured radio frequency energy is delivered to the area for 90 seconds. The radio frequency energy helps melt and destroy the endometrium, the uterine lining, which reduces or even eliminates menstrual bleeding. After the RF energy is applied, the mesh array is retracted and gently removed from the uterus.

The entire NovaSure procedure takes about 5 minutes to perform and is done in your doctor's office. Your doctor may apply a local anesthetic to the area to help relieve any discomfort, but in most cases it is not needed. Some women experience mild cramping and minor discomfort after the procedure.

After undergoing NovaSure, patients can return to work and other normal activities the within a day. Mild pain medication such as ibuprofen can be taken to relieve any discomfort after the procedure. Some women may experience vaginal discharge or bleeding as well, but these symptoms usually go away on their own within a few days. Up to 97% of women experienced a relief in the menstrual bleeding and related symptoms 12 months after the procedure.

If you are considering having a baby in the future, you should not undergo the NovaSure procedure, as it can reduce your chance of getting pregnant, and can also cause serious complications for the mother and fetus.

Although the NovaSure treatment is considered safe, there are certain risks involved with any medical procedure. Some of these risks may include thermal injury, perforation, infection or pregnancy complications.

Essure®

Effective birth control is a major concern for many women. While there are many options, most come with side effects or worries about complete protection. When you decide that your family is complete and are considering permanent birth control, the Essure® incision-free procedure offers benefits that no other permanent birth control method can.

Essure is the first non-invasive procedure to provide permanent and effective birth control based on five years of clinical data. Essure is hormone free and requires no incision, no cutting or burning and no anesthesia.

Your doctor places a soft, flexible silicone-free insert into each of your fallopian tubes. Over time, the body tissue in the fallopian tubes will grow into the inserts creating a natural barrier that prevents sperm from reaching the eggs. Development of the barrier takes about 3 months so another method of birth control will need to be used during that time. After the 3 months, a special test, known as the Essure Confirmation Test, will need to be done to verify that the tubes are fully blocked. Once this is confirmed, you may start relying on Essure as your only form of birth control. Essure has been shown to be 99.8% effective, based on a 5 year study.

While Essure is reliable and simple, it is also permanent. The procedure is not reversible. You will need to be certain that you do not want any more children before considering the procedure.

If you would like more information about our Office Procedures or to schedule an appointment, call us directly at 847.931.4747.